Further Revelation
by Fleeting Vapor
Summary: An offbeat Valentine's Day story. M-21 drinks something that Tao left out, and he becomes more and more sick as the day goes on. Centered around M-21 and Yuna. Noblesse. Recommended.


**Disclaimer: Noblesse is not mine.  
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**Further Revelation  
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**(Part 1: M-21)**

_One. Two. _

M-21 picked up the third cup and dumped it down the sink. It was full to the brim just like the first two he had poured out and just like the other six still on the coffee table. Usually the kids devoured everything they brought. Leaving untouched drinks behind was just wasteful. And where was Regis? That kid should be cleaning this up, not him. It was his precious duty, after all.

_Four. Five. Six._

At least Frankenstein wasn't here to see this. He'd probably release his powers again. The same way he handled everything that displeased him. Especially a mess like this left in his home overnight.

_Seven. Eight. _

M-21 held the ninth cup in his hand. No one had drunken any of these. There was no reason to waste it. He gulped the liquid down and dropped the cup in the sink. That was disgusting. No wonder the kids didn't touch theirs.

"Tell me you didn't just drink that."

"Yeah, it tasted weird." M-21 frowned. Tao's expression looked far too concerned over a simple drink. "What did you do?"

"You only drank one, right?" Tao laughed but the worry didn't leave his face. "You should be okay, I think… maybe."

"What did you do?" He repeated as his temper began to rise.

"Ah, the boss asked us to give a demonstration to the school on safety during after school activities. You know, like parties since it's Valentine's Day."

"I am not giving a speech."

"That's why I didn't tell you." Tao pulled a few bottles from the trash and read the directions on the back. "Maybe I should call the poison control hotline."

"You don't mean parties like guys drugging girls' drinks?"

"Uh, yeah, that's it exactly."

"I thought the kids left it from last night."

"No, I made it this morning. You drank my research." He scanned the ingredient list, but the words were unfamiliar. "The boss gave me some expired medicine from his lab so I'm not really sure what's in it. I didn't expect anyone to actually drink it. I just needed to know how to protect drinks against being drugged."

"You used real medicine for that?" M-21 slipped on his suit jacket and arm badge. His stomach already burned from the medication. It wouldn't be long until it reached its full effect and then wore off. "Couldn't you have used food dye?"

"You're not going to work, are you? I don't think that's a good idea."

"I heal pretty quickly."

"M-21, stay home."

"The boss would never let us call in sick. Besides, I can't go to a hospital, and Frankenstein's already at the school. I'm better off at work." He pushed the button and hurried through the door before Tao could protest.

"Ajussi!"

The voice belonged to Shinwoo. No one else would yell this early in the morning. M-21 slowly turned around. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to protect Rai from the women!"

Don't become involved. That would be the best thing to do, but Shinwoo looked eager to explain. It was already too late to stop him. M-21 gave in and asked. "Why?"

"He's going to be bombarded by girls today. Right, Ikhan?"

Ikhan nodded and shoved his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "Since it's Valentines day, all the girls will give him chocolates."

"And we'll help him take care of all those chocolates." Shinwoo added with a sheepish grin.

Don't become involved. M-21 wordlessly walked outside.

"Ajussi! Are you leaving?" Shinwoo thrust his hand in the air and swung it wildly. "See you at school!"

M-21 waved without looking back. The gesture felt forced. The medicine must be setting in, but he couldn't blame Tao. If anything, he was the one responsible for drinking his research. Hopefully, the school demonstration wouldn't be destroyed because of it. Even if he refused to help give the speech, it would protect the students.

Still, the walk to school tired him much more than it should have. M-21 paused outside the school gates. Soon the students would spill in from the streets, and he would have to do his job. For now, he leaned against the statue Frankenstein had erected at the entrance. _I am the Master of my Fate_. _I am the Captain of my Soul.*_

"Good morning."

His eyes shot open. Her voice startled him. Students loitered around the school yard. When did they arrive?

"Good morning." She said again.

"Good morning." He repeated in confusion. Who was this girl?

"I made this for you. Please accept it!" The pitch of her voice changed and her face flushed red.

What was happening? Who was she? Other students whispered nearby. Someone laughed. She held out a package. Was he supposed to take it? She bowed low. His eyes followed the motion and stopped at his feet. Several more packages littered the ground around him. When did they arrive? Her package hit the pile and at once she was gone. More laughter. What just happened?

He should have been aware of someone standing so close. Why didn't he notice her? M-21 stooped down to pick up the packages. All of them were chocolates. That's right. It's Valentine's Day. Then was that a confession? No, it couldn't be. It was just because he worked at the school.

"Ajussi, you should have said something to her."

Suyi sounded sympathetic, and he didn't miss the look she cast at Yuna, M-21 grasped to gather his thoughts. He felt tired. It must be the medicine. Tao…

"Ajussi, are you okay?"

Yuna this time. He should answer before she noticed something was strange. No, she already noticed. That's why she asked.

"I'm fine. Just tired." There, an answer. Did that satisfy her? His head hurt. A steady throb beat behind his eyes. When did that start? "You better go to class."

"Right, Ajussi." Suyi waved and pulled Yuna along with her. "We'll see you later!"

He should find a place to recover before the other children arrived. If they met Rai at the house today, then Takeo and Tao must be with them. He didn't need either of them to see him like this. Maybe he should talk to Frankenstein? Yeah, he would do that.

The hallway felt longer than normal, and the symmetric decorations along the walls added to the illusion. A paper heart followed by a quote followed by another heart. The quote changed after each heart, but the theme remained the same. It was something about love. Something he never understood. He passed the quotes without reading any of them. Frankenstein must hate the decorations. He could imagine him fuming about tape on the walls.

Headmaster Lee's office was the next door on the right. M-21 knocked, but no one answered. He must still be in his morning meeting. Or maybe preparing for Tao's demonstration? School assemblies were usually held in the morning.

He felt so tired. M-21 shook his head to clear his thoughts, but the movement made his head spin. Hearts and quotes swirled around him in sharp, repetitious scenes. He closed his eyes and waited for it to pass.

He would have to find somewhere to sleep it off. Something like this shouldn't effect him for long. The nurse's office was out of the question, and he would only be in the way if he went to the special security office. Tao would be working on his last preparations before giving that speech, and Takeo would be forced to help.

Outside. That was the only option. M-21 headed for the closest door. There was a narrow pathway between the fence and the building on the east end. It only lead to a storage area for sporting equipment during the off season. He walked slowly as if making his regular rounds. Nothing noticeable that would draw attention from any of the faculty or students.

He pressed his back against the wall and slid to the ground. Should his hands be shaking like this? M-21 held them out and flipped them palm up, palm down, palm up. His coordination felt wrong. Delayed. Maybe he should have stayed home after all. Why wasn't he healing from this?

"Ajussi?" Yuna looked worried. "Are you really okay?"

Where did she come from? Had she been watching him all this time? "I'm fine."

She didn't believe the answer. The concern on her face revealed her true thoughts, but she had enough grace to pretend she believed him. It was for his sake. Everything she did was for his sake. Why couldn't it have been one of the other children to find him? The other children would have accepted his words. But her? She could see through him.

And now, as she took his quivering hands in her own, it was not an act of emotion. This, too, she did for him. It was a lie. She held his hands still so that he wouldn't have to admit he couldn't stop trembling. But it was too late. The shaking had already spread up his arms and down his back.

He should stop her. Why was she doing this? It was so out of character for her. She wasn't that bold. Did he imagine it? No, he could feel the warmth in her hands. His hands must be freezing compared to hers.

"Ajussi?"

He felt so cold. Tired. M-21 closed his eyes.

"Ajussi, I'm going to call an ambulance." She dropped his hands and searched through her backpack.

"Don't." He reached to catch her wrist but missed. Instead, he fumbled an awkward swat against her arm. She looked frightened. No, just concerned. She understood and was even more worried for him. "Just go to class."

"I'm not leaving you here alone." She firmly planted herself next to him.

Yuna never forced herself on anyone. He must look worse than he thought. The bell rang, but she didn't move. Would she skip class for him? She wasn't someone that would do so lightly.

"You're going to be counted as absent." His voice sounded strangely distant. He cleared his throat and tried again. "You should hurry."

"It's fine."

Her voice sounded distant, too. Was it his hearing then? She dug through her backpack again, but he didn't move to stop her this time. "Please, don't call anyone."

The 'please' seemed to catch her by surprise. She looked at him with curiosity. No, suspicion. Maybe uncertainty? He couldn't tell.

Yuna pulled two items from her bag and set both on the ground beside him. "Can you eat something? It might help you feel better."

One was a neatly packed bento box. The other was a package like the ones at the statue. What had happened to those packages? Did he leave them?

"Ajussi?"

An answer. He shook his head. The dizziness returned and images of Yuna crossed over his vision time and again. M-21 pulled his knees to his chest and hung his head low. Hair fell over his shoulders and hung loosely around his face. The back of his neck felt cold, but the dizziness stopped.

His heart was racing. The faster it beat, the more his head throbbed. Was his heart reacting to the medicine? How would it react? He wouldn't transform, would he? He never had before, even when seriously injured, but it had never acted like this before either. It felt wild. Uncontrollable. His pulse thundered throughout his entire body. He could feel the blood rushing through his ears. It sounded so loud.

"Ajussi!"

His body shook. Yuna was shaking him. No, it trembled anyway, but he could feel her hands holding his arm. M-21 opened his eyes. He was laying on the ground. How did this happen? When? He looked up at Yuna. Tears brimmed her eyes. He should answer.

The weight of her hands disappeared. She was searching her backpack again. This time for her phone. He reached out to stop her. His arm didn't move. "Stop."

She looked at him with the phone open in her hand. She needed a reason, he knew. An explanation why she shouldn't call an ambulance. She looked afraid. Yes, fear this time. There was no mistaking it. He couldn't give her a reason but maybe an alternative?

"The headmaster." His voice sounded so quiet like a whisper. Was he whispering?

She was holding the phone to her ear. Was it for an ambulance or Frankenstein? He closed his eyes. He would find out soon enough.

**(Part 2: Yuna)**

"Ajussi!"

He crumpled on the ground and didn't answer. He was shaking, convulsing. What should she do? It looked bad. She tried to recall what little medical knowledge she knew, but nothing prepared her for this. She held his arm. Should she make sure he didn't swallow his tongue? No, his eyes. Doctors always check the eyes first. She pulled up his eyelid with her thumb, but his eyes rolled back. She didn't know what to look for anyway. His pulse. She pressed her index and middle fingers against his Adam's apple and slid her hand toward the back of his neck until she found the artery. His pulse felt rapid like a flood after the breaking of a dam. It rushed through his veins with out restraint.

The phone. She had dropped it when he fainted the second time. She lifted it to her ear as the headmaster's voice mail began to play. She should call an ambulance. It looked really bad. His skin was so pale. Nearly as white as her uniform.

She stood. Was she running? Yes, to the headmaster's office. It seemed so far. Her lungs heaved air into her chest, but she felt breathless. Lightheaded. Heart, quote, heart quote. She passed the decorations in the hallway. No one noticed her. No one stepped out of a classroom at the sound of her feet hitting to floor. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't stop. She shoved the headmaster's door open and ran into his desk. A stack of papers teetered and fell to the floor.

Here, she finally stopped. She was trembling. Her stomach twisted in knots, but there was no time to catch her breath. Ajussi was waiting. Yuna looked up. The headmaster's chair was empty.

Her feet moved again. Faster this time. Though the hallways toward the assembly. Headmaster must be there. Yuna flung the door open with enough force that it slammed into the wall. The entire student body turned to face her. Tao and Takeo stood on stage silent and staring at her. She must have interrupted their speech. The headmaster, he wasn't there. She turned around and let the door fall closed behind her.

The teachers' lounge. That was the only place left. Where else could he be? There wasn't time to waste. Ajussi... This time, when she ran into to room, breathless and uninvited, she was met with the silence of the faculty. Her own teacher slowly stood with a look of surprise. She gasped for air as she scanned the faces. There, at the end of the conference table. He was already standing and following her out of the room.

Heart, quote, heart, quote. She had read them all before, and each quote flashed through her mind. Love, all of them. Words of love. She shouldn't be thinking about this now, but she was so afraid to loose him. She felt herself running again, and she could hear the headmaster easily matching her speed. Words sputtered from her lips in what must be an explanation.

Then, her voice cut off in a choked cry. Blood! There was blood! She should have called an ambulance, but now it was too late. Blood seeped from ajussi's mouth and pooled around his face. She was falling. Her knees hit the pavement. Her hands reached for him. Breath caught in her throat. The headmaster grabbed her waist and lowered her to the ground. She felt tired. She felt…

The sound of his breathing woke her. It was light and soft like a gentle breeze. Yuna slowly took in her surroundings. She was sitting in a chair with her arms crossed over the edge of his bed. Her hand curved around his. Had she been asleep? She lifted her head. He was unconscious. Ajussi.

Yuna stood and let go of his hand. Monitors whirred and his pulse sounded out a steady beat as a line flashed across a computer screen. No one else was in the hospital. This felt strange. She stumbled through the rows of medical equipment and into the elevator. There was only one button. She pushed it and the door opened into the headmaster's house.

The oppas stopped speaking when she entered the room. Tao looked especially concerned, but she couldn't focus on his behavior. Not while Ajussi was… She dropped into her usual seat in the living room and crossed her arms over her stomach. Her hands clung to the sides of her jacket as a sob began to swell inside her chest.

"Yuna, he will be fine."

She looked up at the sound of Rai's voice. His eyes glowed red and the room began to dissolve. New scenes formed in her mind as the past dissipated like smoke clearing to reveal the true images behind it.

Ajussi stood at the statue as a girl held out a package of chocolates. He looked unwell, disoriented. He leaned against the wall as if he would fall without the support. His hands quivered. He fell to the ground. Headmaster. The blood. The hospital. It all melted away and a new memories formed over it.

He stood by the statue with the packages of chocolates. She couldn't give her chocolates to him then. Not while everyone was watching. She found him outside. He was alone. She held out her gift, but the bag slipped from her hands. Red heart-shaped chocolates spilled across the ground. The sound of breaks squealing. Metal hitting metal. Ajussi sent her to tell the headmaster. She was running. The assembly. The teachers' meeting. There was a car accident outside the school. Ajussi saved those people. He was injured. A minor cut. She visited him in the hospital. He was fine.

Rai's eyes returned to normal. Why was she staring at him? Yuna looked away and released her hold on her jacket. Ajussi sat across from her with a pile of red wrappers tossed on the coffee table. He was eating her chocolates.

She smiled. "Ajussi, do you like them?"

A/N: *Invictus by William Ernest Henley


End file.
